Effective Cabin Crew Interview Tips that AI Won’t Tell You

If you go to ChatGPT in search of cabin crew interview tips and advice for your upcoming recruitment, I think you should stop there. First of all, AI will merely provide you with the most general tips, but always remember that an airline’s cabin crew recruitment and selection process is intricate and detailed. Being able to attend cabin crew recruitment events and even sit behind the deliberation process allows me to provide you with these effective tips for your cabin crew interview, which AI like ChatGPT will never tell you.

About These Cabin Crew Interview Tips

Always remember that these cabin crew interview tips are merely here to guide you and everything will still depend on how you perform during the flight attendant recruitment event. However, I will try to go as detailed as possible because the selection process of any airline is very detailed, and it is sometimes hard to know where you went wrong if your application was rejected.

Also, these tips do not represent those of any particular airline. They are a summation of all the cabin crew recruitment events of different airlines around the Philippines. So let’s get started with these cabin crew interview tips, which AI will never tell you.

Airline Recruiters Are Actually Checking If You Have the Heart to Serve

There is no right or wrong answer during a cabin crew interview. However, airline recruiters are quite particular about your purpose for becoming a cabin crew member because this will affect your performance once you are on the line. They might ask a lot of questions, including your desire for travel, but they want to check if you truly want to become a flight attendant for the job or if you are just after the benefits.

Why? Primarily, it is because of safety reasons. Cabin crew members who are only in it for the free travel might sacrifice service, including responding to emergencies. Airlines do not want those who will panic or think of their own lives first before the passengers. They want people who will always prioritize the lives and welfare of passengers before their own. Even if a passenger is demanding or difficult, airlines want someone who can effectively address concerns in a professional manner.

They want cabin crew members who have the initiative to help, serve, and attend to passengers’ needs, especially during emergencies. So if the recruiters ask the question, “Why do you want to become a flight attendant?” know that your answer will play a major role in their decision to accept you or not.

During a Group Interview, Pay Attention to the One Speaking

Sometimes, airlines conduct group interviews where applicants are placed in one group and interviewed one by one. However, airline recruiters are not only observing the applicant they are interviewing. They are also observing the other applicants standing and waiting for their turn.

The eyes of the airline recruiters are looking left and right, watching the other applicants in the room or cubicle. They are checking if you are listening to the one talking or just composing what you are going to say. Always remember that you have to be a good listener if you want to become a cabin crew member because you will need to listen to passengers’ concerns.

During this part, pay attention to the one speaking and listen as though you truly want to get to know them.

What You Say Matters

Some will tell you that most of the time, airline recruiters are not really after what you say during a cabin crew interview. However, that actually matters too. Airline recruiters check if you are making sense, if you can engage in a good conversation, and if you are trying to twist the interviewer’s leg just for the sake of passing the interview. This is their way of checking your integrity.

Sometimes, passengers enjoy short conversations with the cabin crew. Being able to engage passengers in a good conversation is a plus for the airlines. This is why they check if you know what you are talking about or if you are merely opening your mouth just for the sake of saying something.

So yes, what you say matters.

You Are Being Observed Once You Enter the Recruitment Venue

You might not know it, but you are not only being observed during the interview. Recruiters also observe you while you are seated and waiting for your turn. Not only that—the recruiters are not the only ones watching you. The airline staff, including on-the-job trainees, security guards, and office staff, also provide feedback to the recruiters. They report both good and bad observations about you.

Be respectful to everyone in the venue because your actions count. It is during these “unguarded” moments that your true self comes out, and airlines want to see that. During the interview and deliberation, recruiters might compare the “you” during your interview to the “you” while waiting.

So what do you do? Greet everyone you see, including fellow applicants. Treat the office staff and other workers with the same respect as the recruiters. Smile at them and talk to them professionally. These people are also part of the recruitment process. Their words and observations matter.

Never Memorize Your Answers

This is one thing I constantly remind cabin crew aspirants about. I made a post about 100 mock questions for your cabin crew interview not for you to memorize answers but to practice you. Memorizing your answers or asking ChatGPT to generate responses for you to memorize will not work. Airline recruiters can easily detect memorized answers through your speech and body language.

Recruiters want to see the real, genuine you, so please do not memorize your answers. Instead, when asked a question, just say the truth and be genuine. No need to exaggerate a story. Sometimes, the KISS (Keep It Short and Simple) technique works best.

Your Little Actions Inside the Interview Area Matter

Little things matter. Small actions inside the interview room or venue can have a strong impact.

For example, I was once in an interview where the panelists observed an applicant rearranging the chairs before leaving. No one asked her to do it, but her initiative made an impact. The recruiters said she might have lacked a little communication skill, but this could be taught. However, her gesture of putting things in order and asking if she should close the door left an impression. The recruiters saw her as meticulous, orderly, and respectful—traits fit for a cabin crew member.

Some Recruiters May Even Try to Annoy You

No, this is not done just to annoy you. They want to check how you respond to irate or difficult passengers. They might ask you the same question multiple times as though doubting your answer, but in reality, they want to test your personality. They want to see if you remain calm and composed. If this happens during your interview, stay focused, remain confident, and keep a smile on your face.

Airline Recruiters Observe You from a Passenger’s Perspective

You might think that airline recruiters observe you only from an HR perspective, but they also see you from a passenger’s point of view. They check if passengers would respect you, feel comfortable with you, and most importantly, trust you with their lives. This is why confidence plays a big role in cabin crew interviews. If you do not appear confident, passengers might not trust you in an emergency.

Also, your body language matters. Avoid fidgeting, look confident, do not slouch, and maintain eye contact when talking to your interviewers.

Never Interrupt When Someone Is Speaking

Let the recruiter finish the question before you answer. Do not preempt the question. If you are in a group interview, let the person speaking finish before responding. Interrupting is a huge mistake because you might end up doing the same thing to a passenger.

These cabin crew interview tips are based on my personal observations and experiences from attending cabin crew interviews. Sometimes, I would even sit behind the panel and observe things from the airline’s recruitment team’s perspective.

While AI provides general tips, these detailed insights can make a difference in your cabin crew interview. Following these cabin crew interview tips does not guarantee that you will pass, but they will guide you and help you prepare.

Good luck with your upcoming flight attendant interview!